Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-06-30

thought it might be at Orleans, or
somewhere nearer the center of the
country. Or it might be kept, for rea-
sons of state, in St Petersburg. The
good people assured me it was in
Paris, and quite easy to find, only they
didn't know where.
Then said: 81 am afraid they will
make me say something do not know
how to say in French" Whereat they
abounded in compliments upon my
progress in their tongue.
l climbed one stair, consulted Bae-
deker and the Plan, and went forth
with my torn note.
The Bank of France is tucked away
in the midst of network of crooked
little streets like those at the north
end of Boston. After wiggling in
them for some time l found myself in
the Place DIES Victories, which is
circular, with an equestrian statue of
Louis XIV. in Roman costume with a
wig. The horse is prancing on his
tail and hind legs, which support the
whole. Louis is riding directly into
the bank. This is an imposing build
ing, the ancient Hotel de Ia Briltiere.
Guards marched to and fro before the
iron gate of entrance; they let me 60
in with the resigned Indifference with
which Frenchmen now regard any con-
duct of the emancipated American
women. The concierge, however, po-
litely inquired what in the world
tempted me to think of crossing the
great courtyard. | had neat little
French sentence carefully parsed and
corrected in my mind, all ready for
him.
"Sir," said l, sit is the affair of a
bank note torn"
"Ah," said he, ''the affair of bank
note! Then you must not come in
here, but 60 round to the other en-
trance on Cross-of-the little Fields
street."
This relieved me great deal, for l
thought if there was an entrance
wholly dedicated to torn bank notes
my case could not be SO very alarm
ingly exceptional. He added: "You
must ask for the bureau de la compta-
bilite DIES billets."
Trying to keep this long term in my
head, went round to the other en-
trance, and found myself in a large
court. Swinging glass doors led to a
huge hall with broad marble stairs
leading up to endless offices and de-
partments. Inquiring my way Of
many obliging gentlemen in dark
green liveries, | reached cozy little
room like lawyers Office. Here a
friendly man at desk heard my tale,
looking at the note, and repeated the
cheering statement: 1.-The note is
good This gave me courage to say
that l supposed it was not the only in
stance of the kind.
Regard, madame" said he, and
showed me, laid out carefully, each or
piece of white paper, little pile O.
bank notes, burnt to the crisp, not {
trace of any lettering Or number lef
on them.
"You can not identify these" Isaid
"We seek to-" he replied, with shrug
"These are but specimens of some thou
sands of francs lately destroyed by fir
at Bordeaux. "
He then asked if were married, ant
on my confessing myself mademoisell
he began to write on a blank my name
station and address. He asked tn
circumstances as a doctor asks tn
symptoms. As l told them he wrot
them down on the blank, and thel
read me what he had written. Gas
of note torn through inadvertence
placed in a small sack, the other con
tents made hole in the bill; impossi
BILE to preserve the fragments.
This l signed, and of course, CAV
to him the billet de banque.
Now, mademoiselle, he said, "yo
will have your note. However, som
delay is necessary. This is now tn
Friday. On the Monday, or perhaI
later, since Sunday intervenes, you wi
receive at your address letter fror
the Bank of France. With that lette
you will return here, and you will n
ceive your note. Bon jour, mademo
selle." "Bon jour, monsieur" an
"bon jour" all the way down stairs an
: out of the building to and from ever
body met.
Days rolled on and I received no lie
ter. 1 thought perhaps patterns
French Government had need of m
twenty dollars. But one day when
went into the conciergerie to pet Il
| cats, Marie handed me great enve
ope, stamped Banque de la Franc
l Comptabilite DIES Billets, addresse
, "Mademoiselle Hale Suzan, Rantiere,
l Rue d Alger, Paris" 1t was all printe
: inside, with blanks for name and az
e dress, and said that, considering oil
thing and another, l might have ne
e bill If 1 would come and get it. So
i repaired again to the bank and four
E myself in the little den. My monster
was there, and he recognized me wit
: bow. Between ourselves do not b
!. lieve another human being had bee
there since my first visit. He wave
me, however, to another monsieur 81
e ting at another desk, and when b
:: gan "C'est wous, je crois, monsieur.
l mo, no." he intimated; "this other
. greater than /" This other took n
Z latter and made a nretense of fun